5 Foods You Should Avoid At Late Evening Hours

Nutritionists can argue the best time to workout or the benefits of diets, but they all agree that sleep is very important. Good sleep is tied to a lot of health benefits, such as fast reflexes, better mood, and clarity of thoughts.

This means that not getting enough of sleep can have some serious consequences, such as growth issues, out-of-whack appetite, and even a slumping immune system.

If you’re feeling hungry late at night, you should think smart when it comes to eating. By eating the wrong foods you will have disrupted sleep while also adding many unnecessary calories. Therefore, when you eat and what you eat before bed can have a serious impact on your quality of sleep. Instead of just eating the first, tasty item in your fridge, here are several types of foods which you should avoid at night.

1. Fat-filled or greasy foods

Heavy, fatty and greasy foods not only make you feel sluggish the next day, but they also make your stomach work overdrive in order to digest all that food. Avoid things such as ice cream, super cheesy foods, nuts, or fast food right before bed.

2. Red meat and other proteins

Eating red meats late at night can sit in your stomach and make it hard for you to fall asleep while you are digesting. Although, red meat can affect you the worst, a large portion of pork or chicken would have the same effect, too. However, you don’t have to avoid protein altogether, just go for small and lean portions, such as sliced turkey breast.

3. Sugary or high-carb foods

Sweets can be just what you need to relax and rest pleased, but if you eat a whole chocolate, the spike in your blood sugar levels could cause your energy levels to rise, which disrupts your sleep at night. Therefore, avoid cookies, cake or other desserts as well as snacks full of carbs, such as white bread or crackers and munch on a fruit instead.

4. Big portions

You shouldn’t turn a late-night snack into a late-night meal. Therefore, you should keep the total amount of calories under two hundred and you won’t have any problems falling asleep. In addition, you will feel good knowing that you didn’t undo all your efforts of eating healthy on the day before bedtime.

5. Spicy foods

Spices can be a natural cure for many ailments, but when you are looking for something to eat late at night, make sure to avoid the hot sauce. Foods which are spicy can upset your stomach and chemicals in spicy food can stimulate your senses, which makes it hard to fall asleep.

If you are wondering what you should eat instead, the answer is simple: light, small portions which will calm cravings and also help you sleep. Look for the recipes which contain under 200 calories and snacks which hit all your salty or sweet cravings. Also, remember to limit the intake of alcohol, too. Too many drinks may keep you awake at night.